Author name: oisinkelly

It’s emerged that no submissions have been made from Ireland to a major EU consultation on the possible health implications of pylons. Speaking after a meeting with EU Health Commissioner Tonio Borg, North West MEP Jim Higgins said he was told there had been a total of three submissions made to the study, none of […]

Fianna Fail’s Ard Fheis gets underway later today. They’re the last party to hold the event before the European and local elections. They’ll set out their stall to voters on the economy, healthcare and crime with the theme – ‘Recovery for All’. Speaking to Highland Radio News as he prepared to leave for Killarney, Donegal

A protest takes place this afternoon in Coleraine following last week’s announcement that almost 250 DVA jobs in the town are to be transferred to Swansea. The trade union NIPSA says the government must understanding that the people of Coleraine will be be defending these jobs and the service, the campaign is far from finished.

Police in Derry have confirmed that two officers filmed lifting a drunk woman into a bus lay-by on St Patrick’s Day have been moved from any duties that bring them into direct contact with the public. The incident happened in John Street on St Patrick’s Day. Police say the decision to reposition the officers is

A County Derry gas fitter has been sentenced to two years in prison and two on licence for the manslaughter of two teenagers in 2010. 52-year-old George Brown, from Ballygawley Road, Aghadowey, admitting killing Neil McFerran and Aaron Davidson and a string of other charges, including health and safety breaches. The pair died after they

A man who was rescued from Lough Ree after a boating accident yesterday afternoon has died in hospital. The man in his 20’s was one of two who were taken from the water and brought to Portiuncula hospital in a critical condition. He was later transferred to University College Hospital in Galway where he passed

The lobby group Into the West is calling on the North’s Regional Development Minister to clarify his intentions for the old Waterside Railway Station in Derry. Yesterday, it was confirmed that the outcome of a public consultation on the future of rail services showed a clear majority in favour of refurbishing and reopening the facility.

The Transport Minister says he doesn’t share or agree with the criticisms of the Garda whistleblowers. Leo Varadkar is describing the actions of Sergeant Maurice McCabe and former Garda John Wilson as distinguished. He is also calling on the Garda Commissioner to withdraw his “disgusting” remark made in relation to the whistleblowers. Minister Varadkar says

Donegal has been allocated 1.5million euro under two packages announced by Minister Simon Coveney today. 700 thousand euro has been granted to Killybegs for Phase 1 of a small craft harbour while Donegal County Council has been given 751 thousand euro to repair 28 piers and harbours damaged by the severe winter storms. The biggest

There has been a slight increase in land values in County Donegal but the figures show that very little land is being sold in the county publicly. The figures show the average price paid for land in Donegal increased by 4.4%. The statistics are contained in the annual land price magazine published by The Irish

A Councillor says a road closure in Letterkenny today, which led to significant traffic jams and delays for motorists, underlines the importance of the proposed Bonagee Link Bridge Road. The road was closed after a 23 year-old man was critically injured in a single vehicle collision on the Port road between the Polestar and Dry

Seven primary and post primary schools in County Donegal will benefit from the Summer Works Scheme 2014. The schools are part of a national investment of almost €36 million in the first round of school improvements and will receive funding to carry out small and medium scale building works. The schools which had their Summer

A Derry woman, who was captured on camera being left in a bus lay-by by two police officers while incapacitated, has called for the officers to be sacked. Speaking to BBC Radio Foyle 23 year-old Bridget Mongan admits being drunk at the time, but said the officers should have left her on the pavement. She

The Port Road in Letterkenny has now reopened after an overnight collision left a Lifford man fighting for his life in hospital. The 23 year old was driving a car which collided with a wall between the Polestar and Dry Arch roundabouts shortly before 1 o’clock this morning. No-one else was in the car at

Malaysian authorities say the sighting of two objects which may be connected to missing flight MH370 are credible but have yet to be confirmed as debris of the aircraft. The images were picked up by Australian government satellites in the Southern Indian Ocean. One item is described as 24 metres long and is said to

Police believe a sex attacker who targeted young girls in Portugal may be linked to Madeleine McCann’s disappearance. The man abused five girls aged between 7 and 10 during break-ins at holiday homes in the Algarve. The attacks all happened in the three years before Madeleine vanished in 2007. Madeleine’s grandparents are from Donegal and

A new viral craze has taken over Facebook and this time it’s for a good cause. The trend began early last night and has had a snowball effect with hundreds of females in the Northwest posting photos of themselves with no makeup on the social networking site. This latest craze allows friends to nominate each

The Physics Department in St Columba’s College, Stranorlar, recorded last night’s small earthquake has been felt in Co. Wexford. The signal reached the College’s seismometer within 80 seconds. The British Geological Survey have measured the magnitude as 2.2 on the moment magnitude scale. Below is a map of the recording captured in Donegal

Donegal dog owners are being urged to be extra vigilant as we approach peak lambing season. Under the Control of Dogs Act, dog owners can be held liable for financial damage caused to farmers and costs can run to several thousand Euro. PJ McMonagle is the Donegal Chairperson of the IFA – he says even

A week long event to raise awareness of the importance of talking to young people about their sexual health takes place in Donegal next month. ‘Let’s Talk About Sex Week – Talking about sex in a healthy way is OK!’ runs from April 7th to 12th and is organised by the Donegal Youth Service in

Police in Derry are investigating reports of a shooting incident at a house in the Melmore Gardens area in the early hours of this morning. It was reported that a loud bang was heard by neighbours at around 1am, and upon arrival at the house, officers found the front window broken, strike marks on an

A 15-year-old youth has been charged with a number of offences including attempted rape and common assault and is to appear at Derry Magistrates’ Court this morning. His arrest followed reports that a 13-year-old girl had allegedly been attacked. The assault is believed to have happened in the Rathkeele Way area in Creggan yesterday morning.

It has emerged that players taking part in a rugby match in Strabane at the weekend were shot at by a group of youths with suspected BB guns. The incident occurred at Milltown on Saturday as Strabane Rugby Club took on Carrickfergus. Its claimed a group of 3 to 4 youths, with their faces covered,

The PSNI’s continuing to question a man arrested in connection with the killing of Jean Mc Conville, one of the so-called Disappeared. The west Belfast woman was abducted and murdered in 1972, and her body wasn’t found until 2003. A 77 year old man has been detained by the PSNI’s Serious Crime Branch. Belfast Security

The former Chairman of the Labour Party in Donegal has entered the election race as a Independent candidate for the Letterkenny/Milford area. Peter Cutliffe quit the Labour Party in November last year. At the time he said he felt the Labour party represented the people. He also took issue with the fact that at that

The Chair of the Donegal Joint Policing Committee Cllr Noel McBride is urging anyone with an interest in setting up a community alert and text alert scheme in their area to come along to a public meeting next week. The event is being held in the Radisson Hotel, Letterkenny on Monday, 24 March, at 8pm.

A Derry Councillor is calling for an immediate internal investigation after video emerged last night of a number of policmen in Derry apparently lifting an intoxicated woman from the middle of the road and laying her in a bus lane before driving off. The incident was recorded by a number of men in a building

A Donegal Councillor is expressing concern at the lack of political movement with two weeks to go until the controversial 10 pounds levy is imposed on trucks entering Northern Ireland. The issue hit the headlines last month when a number of hauliers in Donegal met to discuss the impending tax, but since then, not much

  Three children were hospitalised last night, and up to a dozen had to be seen to by paramedics after what the PSNI have described as a “drinking party”. Up to 60 teenagers gathered at Strabane Golf Course yesterday evening, it’s believed the gathering was organised via social media. The Golf Course Road in Strabane

Pramerica in Letterkenny has been named one of Ireland’s Best Workplaces today. A spopkesperson for the company there is a culture of mutual respect and teamwork at Pramerica, and this award is shared by everyone in the organization. The Great Place to Work study identifies and recognises the best employers – and therefore the most

A Donegal councillor is calling for the abolition of Joint Policing Committees, saying they serve no purpose and are not a substitute for real accountability and reform. Last week, a meeting of the County Donegal JPC was adjourned after the Chairperson Cllr Noel Mc Bride clashed with Cllr Frank Mc Brearty. Cllr Mc Brearty was

The Derry based rail campaign group Into the West says redeveloping the old Waterside rail station inDerrycould be the catalyst for re-vitalising the Waterside. Plans have been produced by architecture students from Queen’s University showing how the station could look by 2020. The eight students – five of them first years – were taking part

Thousands took to the streets across the North West today to celebrate St Patrick’s Day with parades and street parties on both sides of the border. The weather was largely good, with some small shows and patches of mist in places, but it didn’t dampen the spirits of the crowds who turned out. Derry City

The Taoiseach has told a US audience that Ireland’s economy is fighting back, citing job creation and a 2.9 per cent yield on 10 year bonds. He was speaking at a  St Patrick’s Day event in Boston at an event attended by around 1,000 Irish Americans including the mayor Marty Walsh Speaking ahead of his

Fianna Fáil has chosen two candidates to contest the European elections in the Midlands-North West region. Sitting MEP Pat the Cope Gallagher and Meath Senator Thomas Byrne were selected by more than 600 party members at a convention in Mullingar, Co Westmeath this afternoon. Pat the Cope Gallagher from Burtonport in Donegal currently represents the

Udaras Na Gaeltachta is being urged to offer a subsidy to Largo Foods in an effort to retain jobs in Gweedore. The snacks maker yesterday announced it is moving all its manufacturing to Co Meath with the loss of 142 Donegal jobs – 70 jobs will be available in Meath for Gweedore staff prepared to

A Donegal County Council decision to refuse permission for an Anaerobic Digester in Castlefinn has been appealed to An Bord Pleanala. Glenmore Estate Aghaveagh NW had sought permission for the construction of the commercial Anaerobic Digester with a view to producing renewable energy. Donegal County Council refused permission stating the development would be prejudicial to

Gardai are appealing for witnesses to a road traffic collision in Buncrana in which a young teenager died. 13-year-old Callum Dale and his father were out walking when they were hit by a car at Ballymccarry, Cockhill at around 10.30pm lat night. Callum was pronounced dead at Letterkenny General Hospital, his father Peter, who is

A working group is being established with the goal of attracting new, sustainable jobs in west Donegal. The news was confirmed by Gaetacht Minister Dinny McGinley in the wake of the decision by Largo Foods to close its Gweedore factory with the loss of 142 jobs. The company is centralising its operations at its factory

The Chief Executive of Largo Foods says the high cost of producing its products in Donegal led to the decision to transfer all its manufacturing from Gweedore to its factory in Meath The snack food manufacturer has announced that it is closing its Gweedore factory with the loss of 142 jobs Donegal jobs. As part

Largo Foods has announced that it is closing its Gweedore factory with the loss of  142 jobs Donegal jobs. Staff were informed of the decision at a meeting with management this afternoon. Largo foods describes itself as a  leading manufacturer and distributor of premium snack-foods – its has factories in Gweedore and Ashbourne in Co

A Donegal South-West Deputy has slammed the government’s plan to introduce the Gateway scheme. The scheme will pay long-term unemployed people €20 extra a week in benefits for working for their local authority. In all, 3,000 long-term unemployed people will be selected to work for councils around the country for two years. 80 people will be taken